Overcoming Pride
by DrChaseIsLove
Summary: A quick oneshot that looks deeper into Cameron's character. Pretty deep with a little C/C thrown in there for kicks. Enjoy!


**A/N**- Hey everyone! This is just a little oneshot I got the idea for last night. It's very Cameron-centric, with a bit of C/C thrown in there for kicks. Bear with me, as I've never written a very deep piece with this much analyzation before. Note that it starts out pretty weird, but keep reading because it'll definitely end up normal. P

**Disclaimer**: I don't own House or anything that goes along with it. I'm just a kid with a story.

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**Overcoming Pride**

_Pride (n.)- An excessively high opinion of oneself; exaggerated self-esteem; conceit._

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_Pride._

The words swam through Cameron's head, swirling and spinning past every corner of her mind.

_Pride._

She wanted to run off; to pass all of those people that had seemed to notice what she couldn't, and never come back.

_Pride._

She needed to leave them behind. Her gut was swelling with the instinct to run, to abandon those who couldn't understand, but her body wouldn't listen. Distant figures were closing in on her.

_Pride._

_I'm changing!_ She protested. _I'm getting better!_

_Pride._

Patients, doctors, family and friends seemed to surround Cameron, wearing derisive faces and mocking her. _You'll never overcome it._ They appeared to chant as their faces seemed to fuse. Desperately, she spun around trying to identify someone who could help her. _Chase!_ She called. _Mom! Foreman! Someone!_ No one seemed to answer. Everyone looked the same now, mocking her for something she would never achieve.

Cameron frantically pushed through the crowd, determined to find someone who was different; someone who was individual enough to understand what she was going through.

_House._ Cameron saw him, past a few more people, fusing with the others. His face was taking on the same derisive expression as the crowd, and his cane was slowly melting away.

_House!_ She called, reaching him at last. She wanted so desperately to touch him, to beg him not to leave her, beg him to understand.

Cameron grabbed his hand, repeating his name. But before she could talk to him, his hand began to change. She watched as the age disappeared from his fingers and then his palm.

_House!_ She called again, dropping his hand. _Please, just understand! Understand that I'm trying!_ She cried. The almost faceless House shook his head before the last of his features changed.

The panic returned immediately and Cameron took a few hesitant steps back.

_Pride._

The crowd chanted again and she began to cry, relinquishing control. Her dreams and fears, passions and accomplishments all spilled down her cheeks and dissipated into thin air. _I'm trying!_ She cried, throwing up her hands.

She thought about all of the people she knew. She thought about how she had alienated her family, friends, and now her coworkers. _She _had left that job. She had left because she thought she knew better than House. She thought he was being too self-conceited, when in actuality it was her who had messed up.

She knew she should change, that her pride was slowly destroying her life, but change was harder than everyone expected. She was raised to believe she could do whatever she believed in and not care what people thought about her, but leaving that world of teenage philosophy behind proved to be more difficult than taking it on.

Tears poured out of her eyes as Cameron released her inhibitions. She let all of her defenses down, exposing her true self to the surrounding mass.

In moments, Cameron was astonished to find that the faces were slowly returning to normal. She saw her mother, sister, and father return to normal and smile from their place in the crowd. She saw House and his cane appear, then Foreman and a relieved looking Chase. One by one the crowd returned to those she knew and loved.

Cameron felt a weight lifted off of her shoulders and her cries became cries of joy.

Abruptly she felt a shake and her eyes adjusted to a bright light.

"Cameron?" A familiar voice pried. "Cameron are you okay?" _Chase._ She thought.

"What?" She mumbled as the faces in her head melted to reveal the faces in reality. She was lying in bed next to a worried looking Chase.

"I think you had a nightmare." He said as she sat up and looked around.

"Yeah, me too." She paused to look at his concerned face. She though about how lucky she was to have someone like Chase to care this much; Someone to care about someone like her. Her thoughts floated slowly back to her dream. "Do you think I'm too prideful?" She questioned. He laughed his beautiful laugh.

"Well _that's_ a loaded question." She smiled. "You might as well ask me if those pajamas make you look fat!" Cameron giggled for a moment, but returned to the topic.

"But really." Her face became more serious and she put her hand on his. Chase responded by placing his hand on her cheek, gently stroking it, and looking sincerely into her eyes.

"No." He said simply before elaborating. "Everyone has their moments. The key is knowing when to give up control and admit you don't know or can't do something." He paused and stroked her cheek again with a reassuring look. "I think you know when to give up."

There were a few silent moments, in which she moved closer to him and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Is that what your nightmare was about?" He looked down at Cameron's tired face as she considered the answer.

"Maybe…" she said with a shy smile.

"Maybe?" he prompted and twisted his body around hers to kiss her. _I'm so lucky._ She thought for the millionth time. He pushed a lock of hair out of her face and kissed her again. "It's late. We should go back to sleep." She nodded. "Goodnight" he said as she rolled over a few moments later.

"Goodnight." Cameron echoed, losing herself in her thoughts.

_Pride is good in moderation._ She thought. _I just have to know where to draw the line._

And lying there in bed with Chase's supportive arm around her, she swore she'd overcome it. She could almost feel her conceitedness melting away, swirling through the tangled sheets, never to return.

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**A/N**- Well there you have it! So I hope you liked it. If you did or even if you didn't (please constructive criticism ONLY), please review and recommend it to your friends.


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